New Dunedin Hospital: Advanced Water Treatment System and Robust Site Power Through Changing Project Phases

Project overview

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is delivering the New Dunedin Hospital to support improved patient flow and modern clinical care. The facility is planned to open with 351 beds and the capacity to expand to 404 beds, plus 20 short-stay surgical beds and 58 emergency department spaces— including short-stay and specialised emergency psychiatric care. The project also includes 22 theatres and capacity to expand to 24.

Throughout the planning, groundworks and construction phases, we provided the construction team with essential site services and equipment - ranging from power generation and lighting to site amenities, vehicles and comprehensive end-to-end Specialist Solutions through our water treatment and relocation services.

The challenge: groundwater discharge requirements and changing delivery teams

A key requirement on the project was treating groundwater to meet discharge conditions before release to the stormwater system. Achieving this required careful coordination with multiple stakeholders, including CPB, Ceres NZ, Dunedin City Council and the Regional Council, over a 2-year period.

We were selected as the equipment hire and services partner as we were able to comply with the strict Checkrite onboarding requirements. We were then re-selected as the project progressed through three contractors across planning, groundworks and construction phases.

We designed and installed a bespoke water treatment solution for the groundworks phase, then reinstalled it on site for the construction phase through to completion. The process required expert management and validation from our Product Operation Specialists, who assessed factors such as dwell time, hose diameter and head losses to ensure optimal performance as part of the overall solution. CPB’s Eric Joanisse said, “We were looking for a better solution. Kennards Hire replaced a multi-component setup with a single, compact unit that made the treatment system easier to manage and reduced the footprint the equipment occupied on site.”

Equipment supplied to the site

To support day-to-day construction activities and compliance needs, we supplied:

• AU80 water treatment unit - for treating groundwater prior to discharge.
• 45kVA solar generator - supplying 24/7 power to a site compound of six buildings and two toilet blocks.
• six diesel generators - providing power to isolated work zones during work hours.
• Hybrid light towers - supporting early-morning concrete pours and unscheduled after-hours work.
• Site amenities - we supplied two 6 metre lunchrooms and two 6 metre toilet blocks.
• Site vehicles - including tipper trucks for internal material movement.
• General hire equipment – we were selected as the main equipment supplier and successfully provided a wide range of other items throughout construction activities.

Advanced, specialist solution in our water treatment offering and comprehensive site mobilisation services

For groundwater treatment, we supplied an all-in-one solution designed to reduce complexity on a constrained site. Compared with the original water treatment equipment on site, that needed a 60-metre-long footprint and multiple separate components, our installed system was a 6-metre all-in-one unit, reducing space requirements and simplifying setup. The compact arrangement also reduced the power demand compared with alternative approaches, helping the team make clearer decisions around site power planning.

From our sustainable solutions range, the 45kVA solar generator was selected for its practicality and cost efficiency. Projections showed ~$6,000 savings on diesel fuel per month compared to a traditional fuel-only set up.

Along with specialised equipment and bespoke power and water treatment solutions, we have provided a dedicated Project Manager, who acts as CPB’s one point of contact for the entire project, competitive long-term rates, deliveries within the hour, and weekly equipment checks to keep critical items working efficiently.

Outcomes for CPB and the Dunedin Hospital

• Reduced site footprint for treatment equipment, supporting safer and simpler installation and re-installation as project teams changed.
• Lower fuel use for site power, with quantified savings and noise reduction targets achieved.
• Continuity through handovers, with the equipment solutions customised, presented and re-established across each project phases.
• Adherence to all certifications, standards and compliance requirements coupled with rapid response to daily site needs as construction progressed.